Article suspending support



Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED ARTICLE SUSPENDING SUPPORT Harold R. Berglund, Denver, Colo., assignor to Denver Wood Products Co., Denver, Colo., a

firm

Application October 13, 1947, Serial No. 779,446

Claims.

This invention relates to racks or supports for suspending articles for display and the like, and particularly to such supports having readily detachable parts.

It is desirable that racks or supports which may be required to support different articles at various times be provided with some arrangement for changing the spacing or size of the supporting elements. For example, when display racks are employed to hold a complete line of articles of different sizes or shapes, such as replacement parts for various makes of automobiles, it is desirable that the supporting elements or brackets be readily adaptable to accommodate the articles to be displayed. Thus, it is desirable to be able from time to time to change the number, size, and position of the brackets on the rack. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an article support having a base and. an article supporting bracket including an improved arrangement for aiording ready detachment of the p bracket from the base.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specication.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation View partly broken away of an article supporting rack embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3` is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a detail of a socket clip of the rack of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a bottom elevation view of the clip shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a support or rack suitable for holding articles displayed for sale; for example, the rack might be employed to display a line of automobile fan belts. The rack comprises a base 6, which may be made of wood, and a plurality of brackets l, 8, 9 and Ill, any desired number of which may be employed. For purposes of illustration, the brackets have been shown of different sizes and types, although it is obvious that they may all be of the same size and type if desired. As shown in Fig. 2, the bracket 'l is longer than the bracket 8, both being of the same type; part of the bracket I has been `shown broken away in order to avoid confusion in the drawing. The bracket 8 comprises a length of resilient wire bent to provide diverging arms II and I2 connected by a loop or hook I3. The arm II is substantially straight and has its end I4 seated in a socket I5 drilled in the base 6. A stop I6 is provided on the arm II to limit the position of the end Ill in the socket I5, the stop being in the form of a washer crimped or otherwise suitably retained on the arm II. The arm I2 extends over the top of the base 6 and has its end I'I bent downwardly at about right angles toward the arm II so that the axes of the ends I4 and ITI extend transversely of one another. The end I1 is seated in a socket I8 drilled in the top of the base 6. In order tc hold the bracket securely in position on the base, the arms I I and I2 are formed so that they diverge normally at an acute angle substantially smaller than that between them in their positions on the base. Thus, pressure is exerted between the ends, due to the resilience of the wire, and the end I1 is securely retained in the socket I8. When itis desired to detach the bracket 8 from the base 6, the arm I2 is lifted to spread the arms apart and move the end I'I out of the socket I8 so that the end I4 of the arm Il may be drawn out of the socket I5. The bracket is attached to the base by reversing this operation. The angle between the end I'I and the arm I2 is selected so that the end may be pressed into the socket IS when the stop I6 is in contact with the base 6; that is, when the end I4 is properly seated in the socket I 5. The sockets t closely about the respective ends of the bracket and hold the bracket securely in position.

The bracket 'I is of the same construction as the bracket 8 except for the length of its arms indicated at I9 and 26.

As shown in Fig. 3, the brackets 9 and I0 are constructed similar to the brackets 'l and 8. The bracket 9 has been shown broken away in a manner similar to the bracket 'l and the construction of the brackets 9 and IG is illustrated by the bracket I6 which is shown in full. This bracket comprises a length of resilient wire bent to provide divergent arms 2I and 22 connected by a hook or loop 23. The arm 2l is provided with a stop 25 similar to the stop i6 and which limits the position of the end 25 of the arm in a socket 26 drilled in the base 6. The arm 22 has its end 21 bent downwardly, similar to the end Il of the arm I6, and seated in a socket 28 formed in a clip` 29 which is secured by screws 3D to the iront of the base 6. The normal angle between the :arms 2I and 22 is smaller than that when the bracket is in position, so that the resilience of the wire holds the bracket securely on the base in the same manner as in the case of the bracket 8.

The details of construction of the clip 2S are clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The socket 28 is formed as a V-shaped bend in the clip and holes 3l are provided to receive the screws Sil.

The bracket 9 is of the same construction as the bracket it except that its armsI 32 and 33 are longer than the arms 2 l and 22.

A longitudinal groove Sil is provided along the top of the base 6 near the front edge and sloping slightly toward the front. A metal angle strip 35 is mounted on the base and is formed to provide one portion extending upwardly in alignment with the rear of the base 6 and suitable for a sign or decoration on the rack. Another part 36 of the strip 35 lies flat along the top of the base and a foot 3l is tted into the groove 34 to lock the strip in position. The groove may also be made wide enough to receive price tags or similar cards 38 which thus stand upright between the adjacent brackets.

It will thus be apparent that a rack has been provided which is particularly suited for the display of articles of various sizes and shapes and which may require changing or shifting of the positions of the individual brackets. Each bracket is of simple and rugged construction and may readily be detached, but when in position on the base is securely held and is suitable for supporting substantial weight.

Various other forms will occur to those skilled in the art and it is intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An article support comprising a base and a detachable wire bracket arranged to extend therefrom, said bracket comprising a length of resilient wire bent to provide two divergent arms, one of said arms having a substantially straight end and the end of the other arm being bent toward said one arm, means providing sockets on said base having longitudinal axes positioned to correspond to the axes of the ends of said arms and spaced apart a greater distance than the normal spacing or" said ends whereby said arms may be sprung apart from their normal position and the end of said one arm inserted in the correspending one of said sockets and the end oi said other arm then released to enter its corresponding socket, said ends being retained in said sockets by l the resilience of said arms, and a stop on said one arm for limiting the position of the end of said arm in its corresponding one of said sockets.

2. An article support comprising a base and a detachable wire bracket extending laterally therefrom, said bracket comprising a resilient wire bent to provide two divergent arms, the first of said arms having a straight end and the second having its end bent toward said first arm, means providing sockets on said base retaining said ends of said arms, said wire being initially formed with said arms at an angle less than their angle when assembled on said base, whereby said ends are retained in said sockets by the resilience of said arms and may be released by first spreading said arms to move said bent end out of its socket and then removing said rst arm from its socket.

3. A detachable bracket comprising a length of resilient wire having an intermediate portion bent into a loop and forming upper and lower arms diverging outwardly from said loop, said upper arm having a downwardly bent end portion at substantially` right angles to said arm, and said lower arm having a substantially straight end portion and a stop on said end portion spaced from the outer extremity thereof, said end portions being adapted to be inserted in a vertical socket and a socket downwardly inclined to the horizontal in a supporting member.

4. An article support comprising a base having a vertical socket extending downwardly from the upper surface and a socket inclined downwardly from the horizontal ext-ending inwardly from one ide surface, a bracket comprising a length or resilient wire having an intermediate portion bent into a loop and forming upper and lower arms diverging outwardly from said loop, said upper arm having a downwardly bent end portion extending into said vertical socket, said lower arm having a substantially straight end portion extending-into said inclined socket, and a stop on said end portion spaced from the outer extremity thereof, and adapted to limit the movement of said lower arm into said inclined socket.

5. An article support comprising a base having a U-shaped clip secured to one side surface and forming a vertical socket, said base also having a socket inclined downwardly from the horizontal and extending inwardly from said one side surface below said clip, a bracket comprising a length or resilient wire having an intermediate portion bent into a loop and forming upper and lower arms diverging outwardly from said loop, said upper arm having a downwardly bent end portion extending into said vertical socket, said lower arm having a substantially straight end portion extending into said inclined socket, and a stopv on said end portion spaced from the outer extremity thereoic and adapted to limit the movement of said lower arm into said inclined socket.

HAROLD R. BERGLUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,465,659 Wheeler Aug. 21, 1923 2,291,178 Vanderwerp July 28, 1942 

